Fast food and similar establishments often serve semi-frozen drinks, such as soft serve, smoothies or the like, which consist primarily of an ice cream-like product and other condiments selected by the customer. Traditionally, such a product is prepared and mixed in a cup or other container by a customer service employee of the establishment in a machine. The machine is provided with a spinning, rod-like agitator which the user manually positions in the food in the cup to mix the same. In order to properly mix the ingredients, the user is usually required to move the cup up and down, and often circularly, in order to assure that all of the product is properly mixed. However, such is not only tedious procedure requiring the time of the employee who could better use the time to be waiting on the next customer, but also oftentimes the resulting drink is not fully or properly mixed. In addition, if the user is not extremely attentive, the spinning agitator can engage the bottom and/or sides of the cup as it is being moved by the user potentially damaging or rupturing the same thereby destroying the integrity of the food product.
As a result, some attempts have been made to automate the mixing process. In these situations, the user could add the ingredients of his choice to the cup and then places the cup in the machine below the agitator. Upon activation of the machine, the spinning agitator moves up and down in the cup in an attempt to mix the ingredients. While such machines will normally prevent damage to the cup, they often do not completely mix the ingredients as the agitator will not mix the ingredients located in the periphery of the cup.
The need exists, therefore, for a machine which can be operated to fully mix the ingredients in a cup without damage to the cup.